How often should you walk the foundation after heavy rain?

Why it matters

Water pooling against the house is the root cause behind most wet basements and settling cracks. Grading fixes are cheap before they're urgent.

How to do it

After a hard rain, look for pooling at the foundation, soil sloping toward the house, downspouts dumping at the wall, and new cracks wider than a coin.

Signs you've waited too long

Damp basement corners, efflorescence (white mineral bloom) on basement walls, or doors that stop closing squarely.

Same part of the house